Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a thin barium-doped inner layer, a stable, bubble-free intermediate layer, and a stable opaque outer layer. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica. The crucible demonstrates reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. As a result of the thin barium-doped layer and the reduced bubble growth, the inner surface of the crucible is uniformly minimally textured during a CZ process. The present crucible is especially suited for intense CZ processes for manufacturing silicon ingots used for solar cells or with silicon that is heavily doped with antimony, boron, or arsenic.

Abstract: A method is provided that comprises having a trial generation station generate crystallization trials in a crystallization plate transporting the crystallization plate to an imaging station; and having the imaging station take images of the crystallization trials within 30 minutes of the formation of the crystallization trials; wherein the method is performed in a single automated system.

Abstract: A crystallization system is provided that comprises a screen replicator having a transfer mechanism configured to transfer portions of different screen solutions contained in a screen storage plate to well regions of a crystallization plate; a screen storage station including a housing configured to store a plurality of screen storage plates and mechanics for retrieving a selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates for transport to the screen replicator; a transport mechanism configured to transport a screen storage plate retrieved by the screen storage station to the screen replicator; and a controller including logic for causing the screen storage station to retrieve the selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the selected screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the screen replicator, and logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer portions of different

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of growing a single crystal from a melt contained in a crucible. The method includes the step of making the temperature of a melt increase gradually to a maximum point and then decrease gradually along the axis parallel to the lengthwise direction of the single crystal from the interface of the single crystal and the melt to the bottom of the crucible. The increasing temperature of the melt is kept to preferably have a greater temperature gradient than the decreasing temperature thereof. Preferably, the axis is set to pass through the center of the single crystal. Preferably, the convection of the inner region of the melt is made smaller than that of the outer region thereof.

Abstract: It is aimed at providing a fluoride crystal growing method capable of controlling a shape of the crystal by a micro-pulling-down method. Fluoride crystals in shapes depending on purposes, respectively, can be grown by adopting carbon, platinum, and iridium as crucible materials adaptable to fluorides, respectively, and by designing shapes of the crucibles taking account of wettabilities of the materials with the fluorides, respectively.

Abstract: A crystallization apparatus includes an illumination system which applies illumination light for crystallization to a non-single-crystal semiconductor film, and a phase shifter which includes first and second regions disposed to form a straight boundary and transmitting the illumination light from the illumination system by a first phase retardation therebetween, and phase-modulates the illumination light to provide a light intensity distribution having an inverse peak pattern that light intensity falls in a zone of the non-single-crystal semiconductor film containing an axis corresponding to the boundary. The phase shifter further includes a small region which extends into at least one of the first and second regions from the boundary and transmits the illumination light by a second phase retardation with respect to the at least one of the first and second regions.

Abstract: By pulling up an ingot in consideration of deformation of a crucible, generation of the defective ingot is prevented and a plurality of ingots having equivalent quality with the first ingot are pulled up in a multiple pull-up. Firstly, a deformation amount of a crucible for experiment (34) upon melting a silicon raw material and a history of supply power to a heater for experiment (38) are measured to calculate deformation tendency of a crucible for mass production (14). Next, the size of the crucible for mass production is measured, the silicon raw material of the amount equivalent to the amount supplied to the crucible for experiment is melted with a heater for mass production (18), and an initial crucible external position with a predetermined gap (X) is measured before initiating pull-up.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming single crystal silicon ingots or wafers that contain an axially symmetric region in which vacancies are the predominant intrinsic point defect, that are substantially free of oxidation induced stacking faults, and are nitrogen doped to stabilize oxygen precipitation nuclei therein.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for the production of diamond films with low misorientation through the deposition of diamond on a film system, whereby the film system exhibits a substrate film made of monocrystalline silicon or silicon carbide, at least one buffer film arranged on that, and at least one metal film made of a refractory metal arranged on that, whereby the diamond is deposited on the at least one metal film.

Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a stable, bubble-free inner layer and an opaque outer layer, both layers demonstrating reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. When used in the CZ process, little volume change is observed in the crucible wall, and the crucible has little influence on melt level. The present crucible is especially suited for slow silicon ingot pulling with reduced crystalline defects. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica.

Abstract: A method of growing a crystal on a substrate disposed in a reactor, that provides a reactor chamber in which the substrate is disposed, includes flowing reactive gases inside the reactor chamber toward the substrate, the reactive gases comprising components that are able to bond to each other to form the crystal, and flowing buffer gas in the reactor chamber between the reactive gases and a wall of the reactor, where the flowing buffer gas inhibits at least one of a first material at least one of in and produced by the reactive gases from reaching the reactor wall and a second material produced by the reactor wall from reaching the reactive gases in the reactor chamber before the reactive gases reach the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transition-metal chalcogenide crystal having a topological configuration/structure. A micro-droplet of a chalcogen element, such as S, Se or Te, is condensed and circulated in suspended form in an atmosphere containing a Group IVb, Vb or VI transition metal element, such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf or W, together with the chalcogen element. Then, micro-whiskers of a transition metal chalcogenide formed in the atmosphere are attached onto a surface of the chalcogen-element micro-droplet by the action of a surface tension of the micro-droplet, and grown as a loop-shaped crystal wound around the surface of the micro-droplet to obtain a loop-shaped crystal having a twist of 0, ? or 2?. The crystal has a ribbon-like open or closed loop configuration. The transition-metal chalcogenide crystal with the topological loop-shaped microstructure can exhibit original properties peculiar to each transition-metal chalcogenide, and has applicability, for example, to a quantum device, such as SQUID.

Abstract: A substrate and method for growing a semi-conductive crystal on an alloy film such as (AIN)x(SiC)(1-x) without any buffer layer is disclosed. The (AIN)x(SiC)(1-x) alloy film can be formed on a SiC substrate by a vapor deposition process using AlN and SiC powder as starting materials. The (AIN)x(SiC)(1-x) alloy film provides a better lattice match for GaN or SiC epitaxial growth and reduces defects in epitaxially grown GaN with better lattice match and chemistry.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metod of fabrication of high quality silicon single crystal at high growth rate. The method grows silicon single crystal from silicon melt by Czochralski method, wherein the silicon single crystal is grown according to conditions that the silicon melt has an axial temperature gradient determined according to an equation, {(?Tmax??Tmin)/?Tmin}×100?10, wherein ?Tmax is a maximum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt and ?Tmin is a minimum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt, when the axial temperature gradient is measured along an axis parallel to a radial direction of the silicon single crystal.

Abstract: An apparatus including a crucible, an energy source, and a controller is provided. The crucible may be sealed to a nitrogen-containing gas, and may be chemically inert to at least ammonia at a temperature in a range of about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The energy source may supply thermal energy to the crucible. The controller may control the energy source to selectively direct sufficient thermal energy to a predefined first volume within the crucible to attain and maintain a temperature in the first volume to be in a range of from about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The thermal energy may be sufficient to initiate, sustain, or both initiate and sustain growth of a crystal in the first volume. The first temperature in the first volume may be controllable separately from a second temperature in another volume within the crucible. The first temperature and the second temperature differ from each other. Associated methods are provided.

Abstract: The apparatus for manufacturing a silicon single crystal includes: a crucible for storing molten silicon; a pulling-up device for pulling up a silicon single crystal from the molten silicon in the crucible to grow; a detecting device for detecting a position of the crucible in a vertical direction; and a control device for controlling a pulling rate for the silicon single crystal by the pulling-up device, based on the detected position of the crucible.

Abstract: This silicon wafer is obtained from a silicon single crystal grown by the CZ method in a hydrogen-containing inert gas atmosphere, and is a completely grown-in defect-free wafer containing no COPs or dislocation clusters throughout the wafer in the thickness and radial directions thereof, and all the portions consist essentially of an interstitial rich region. This method for growing silicon single crystals includes pulling a silicon single crystal in a hydrogen-containing inert gas atmosphere so as to expand the range of the pull rate for the PI region, wherein the pulling of the silicon single crystal is conducted at a pull rate within this expanded range of the pull rate for the PI region so as to grow a body portion that is an interstitial rich region.

Abstract: The invention relates to new improvements in a process for crystal growth in the environment of supercritical ammonia-containing solution, which are based on use of specific azide mineralizers and result in the improved bulk Group XIII element nitride monocrystals, in particular balk monocrystalline gallium-containing nitride, intended mainly for variety of nitride-based semiconductor products such as various opto-electronic devices. The invention further relates to a mineralizer used for supercritical ammonia-containing solution which comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of LiN3, NaN3, KN3, and CsN3.

Abstract: A silicon carbide seeded sublimation method is disclosed. The method includes the steps of nucleating growth on a seed crystal growth face that is between about 1° and 10° off-axis from the (0001) plane of the seed crystal while establishing a thermal gradient between the seed crystal and a source composition that is substantially perpendicular to the basal plane of the off-axis crystal.

Abstract: A method for eliminating a display defect in a liquid crystal display device includes disposing a liquid crystal panel adhered with a polarizer into a first buffer chamber, increasing pressure of the first buffer chamber, communicating the first buffer chamber with a reactor chamber having a predetermined pressure, transferring the liquid crystal panel from the first buffer chamber to the reactor chamber, increasing pressure of a second buffer chamber, communicating the second buffer chamber with the reactor chamber, and transferring the liquid crystal panel from the reactor chamber to the second buffer chamber.